FINAL DAY HEARTBREAK FOR THE MARKETMEN

A frustrating final game of the season for Needham Market ended in a 2-0 home defeat to Banbury, falling out of the play-offs into sixth.

Tom Rothery named an unchanged starting eleven that defeated Felixstowe + Walton United in Tuesday's Suffolk Premier Cup Final, with the only alteration seeing Reserves' defender Brad Smith drop out off the squad, with Luke Ingram back on the substitutes bench.

Needham, after a bright start, went close on 14 minutes, Myles Cowling was set racing onto the left-hand byline to cutback to Jake Dye in space in the centre whose shot was skewed wide of the far post.

Kyle Hammond (19') then weaved into space to shoot, but shot low and wide of the target, before Tommy Smith (21') was first to be cautioned.

Banbury (23') saw a low right wing free-kick blocked by the wall, while a follow up strike from the edge of the area was equally well blocked.

Keiran Morphew (29') was next to be shown a yellow card, though Banbury (30') took the lead.

Chris Wreh turned home a right wing corner for the first goal of the afternoon, who saw a shot seemingly deflected just wide for a corner at close range (36').

Aaron McCreadie (38') meanwhile missed a great chance, driving into the box but shooting well wide of the bottom near corner, although the home side grew back into the game.

A great long ball over the last defence looked to thread Max Appauh clear on goal until Yaw Nantwi-Ofosu looked to have handled the ball above his head to prevent the forward from beating him to the ball (41').

Needham however were awarded a penalty (45'+1') after Seb Kola hacked Myles Cowling down on the left-hand side, though Reggie Lambe's penalty a minute later was beaten away by Harding down swiftly to his right-hand side.

James Bradbrook (48') comfortably claimed Nantwi-Ofosu's headed flick on at goal following a right wing long throw, ahead of Kyle Hammond's dangerous in-swinging left wing corner being punched away by Jack Harding at his far post.

Banbury (55') fired over from range, as Max Appauh was replaced by Seth Chambers (56').

Tommy Smith bravely blocked Chris Wreh's thunderous low strike at close range wide of the right-hand psot for a corner (63'), while the striker headed over at point blank range from the following corner moments later.

Great play from Needham, now growing on top, saw Ben Hunter pick out Kyle Hammond free down the right wing with a great cross-field ball whose excellent cross towards the arriving Tommy Smith at the back post was put behind for a corner (67'), which Dye headed Hammond's corner wide at the far post (68').

Dye (68') was replaced by Barker, as Myles Cowling flashed a low strike agonisingly just wide of the post (70').

The Marketmen were denied an equaliser by an important save from Harding (72'), as Hammond's right wing corner was met by the impressive leap from Myles Cowling at the far post to head towards the bottom left-hand corner though Harding got across to shovel it behind.

Keiran Morphew (77') met Kyle Hammond's 35-yard right-hand free-kick at the far post, only to head over the crossbar, ahead of Ollie Saunders' (78') shot from just outside the box being cruically blocked.

Ball shot wide of the far corner a moment later, while Saunders was slipped through onto the right-hand side but saw his low shot held by Harding (82').

Reggie Lambe was replaced by Luke Ingram, as Connor Ferguson broke clear on goal (82') to wrap home into the bottom left-hand corner to double Banbury's lead and crush Needham's hopes of a play-off spot.

Flynn bobby (95') made his first team debut, in place of Hunter.

MAN OF THE MATCH

Congratulations to yesterday’s man of the match Reggie Lambe chosen by match sponsor Gus Cutting and M&S thank you for your continued support..